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McCain camp challenges Romney's anti-abortion stance

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Arizona Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign issued a stinging attack on GOP presidential rival Mitt Romney's stance on abortion Wednesday.

McCain's camp claimed a new YouTube video indicates the former Massachusetts governor supported maintaining abortion rights in his state six months after he opposed such rights.

Romney has said he started opposing abortion rights in November 2004 while he was governor of Massachusetts after a conversation with a stem-cell researcher made him feel the value of human life had been diminished.

But in a new video the McCain campaign posted to the popular video sharing site YouTube, Romney says in a May 2005 press conference, "I am absolutely committed to my promise to maintain the status quo with regards to laws relating to abortion and choice and so far I've been able to successfully do that. And my personal philosophical views about this issue is not something that I think would do anything other than distract from what I think is a more critical agenda."

Romney vetoed legislation that would have expanded stem cell research in Massachusetts on the same day he made the statement, according to The Associated Press.

Romney supported abortion rights before changing his stance on the issue during the stem cells debate and vowed not to change Massachusetts abortion laws while he was governor despite personally opposing abortion, the AP reported

In a statement titled "Mitt vs. Fact," McCain spokesman Matt David said Romney's "biggest challenge in this election will be convincing Republicans he has principled positions on important issues, especially now that it's known that he remained committed to pro-choice policies after his 'epiphany' on abortion in 2004."

Romney's campaign quickly fired back, calling the attack "borne of desperation" and said "selective editing" had taken Romney's comments out of context.

"Gov. Romney is firmly pro-life and can rely on his record of having protected the sanctity of life when faced with those issues as governor," Romney spokesman Kevin Madden said. "Gov. Romney consistently maintained, in an effort to protect the sanctity of life, that he would fight attempts to weaken the state's existing abortion laws."

"Maintaining existing laws in a state like Massachusetts was an important fight in and of itself," Madden added.

The Romney campaign also noted the remarks in question are from a press conference explaining his veto of a stem cell bill that he said supported "embryo farming, cloning for experimentation, and a redefinition of when life begins."

The war of words came one day after a new CNN/WMUR poll indicated Romney has opened up an eight point lead in New Hampshire over McCain and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. (Watch how Romney's stock rose in New Hampshire after the debate )

CNN's Alex Mooney contributed to his report.

Copyright 2007 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

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